Humanitarian Aid donated to the Palestinians sold for profit

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA)  is tasked with administering humanitarian aid and social welfare to Palestinian refugees.

Last year, a leaked confidential report from UNRWA’s ethics office detailed abuses of power among the agency's senior management, documenting incidents of "sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority, for personal gain, to suppress legitimate dissent, and to otherwise achieve their personal objectives."

In light of the scandal, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and New Zealand suspended funding the agency.

UNRWA has long been controversial as it seeks to perpetuate the Palestinian refugee crisis, rather than resolve it.

The corruption and abuse of power exists even at the most fundamental level. 

Food aid donated to the people of Gaza from UNRWA and from private donations has been seen on the grocery store shelves,  sold for profit and promoted on the stores social media pages.

One store advertised cans of tuna, clearly labeled as a "gift" from the people of Japan

Powdered milk,  donated from the UN Refugee Works Agency (UNRWA) and clearly marked  "Not for Sale" was also available

It spite of the ongoing controversy, UNRWA continues to solicit funding worldwide.  Its time for  anyone committed to justice for the Palestinian people to seriously consider alternatives to the bloated and corrupt UNWRA bureaucracy.

Gaza. Blast from the Past. The more things change...

From a February 1, 1957 article on Gaza, from the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, detailing the extraordinary efforts Israel put in to raising the standard of living in Gaza.

"Meanwhile it was revealed that within the next two months work will be begun on linking Gaza farmland into Israel's complex irrigation to bring sufficient water this summer to increase irrigated lands in the Strip by 50 percent.  The Israel Government will subsidize water prices and, as a result, water from the Yarkon River will cost Gaza Arab farmers less than Israeli farmers in the Negev."

Some things never change.

"UNRWA, meanwhile, has agreed to strike out of textbooks, passages which incite hatred of Israel"

Its been 62 years.  We are still waiting.

UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem

Written by Jay Sekulow, in Foreign Policy  

UNRWA Has Changed the Definition of Refugee.  The U.N.'s agency for Palestinians should stop playing word games and do its job

UNRWA was founded in 1949 through U.N. General Assembly Resolution 302 at the conclusion of the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948, aiming for “the alleviation of the conditions of starvation and distress among the Palestine refugees” from that conflict. The agency defines Palestinian refugees as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”

In 1965, UNRWA changed the eligibility requirements to be a Palestinian refugee to include third-generation descendants, and in 1982, it extended it again, to include all descendants of Palestine refugee males, including legally adopted children, regardless of whether they had been granted citizenship elsewhere. This classification process is inconsistent with how all other refugees in the world are classified, including the definition used by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the laws concerning refugees in the United States.

Under Article I(c)(3) of the 1951 U.N. Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, a person is no longer a refugee if, for example, he or she has “acquired a new nationality, and enjoys the protection of the country of his new nationality.” UNRWA’s definition of a Palestinian refugee, which is not anchored in treaty, includes no such provision.

Sekulow concludes with a quote from Lt. Gen. Alexander Galloway,  1952 director of UNRWA in Jordan:

It is perfectly clear that Arab nations do not want to solve the Arab refugee problem. They want to keep it as an open sore, as an affront against the United Nations and as a weapon against Israel. Arab leaders don’t give a damn whether the refugees live or die.

Read this important article here, and ask yourself and your elected representative, why is America the number one funder of this travesty?

The USA is the top funder of UNRWA

Hamas Terror Tunnel discovered under UN School in Gaza

Earlier this week, UNWRA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees uncovered a tunnel belonging to Hamas underneath 2 elementary schools in  Gaza 

The tunnel passes underneath both the Maghazi Elementary Boys School and the Maghazi Preparatory Boys School.

The agency has filed a complaint with Hamas and has stated:

"It is unacceptable that students and staff are placed at risk in such a way," it said. "The construction and presence of tunnels under UN premises are incompatible with the respect of privileges and immunities owed to the United Nations under applicable international law, which provides that UN premises shall be inviolable. The sanctity and neutrality of UN premises must be preserved at all times."

The agency also said it condemns “the existence of such tunnels in the strongest possible terms,” adding that it was “unacceptable that students and staff are placed at risk in such a way.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon  responded to the news by stating “the cruelty of Hamas knows no bounds as they use the children of Gaza as human shields. Instead of UN schools serving as centers of learning and education, Hamas has turned them into terror bases for attacks on Israel.”

Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories  (COGAT's) response

On June 1st, a Hamas terror tunnel was discovered under the UNRWA School for Boys in Al-Maghazi.

Hamas’ act of using children as human shields with complete disregard for their lives is appalling, but sadly not surprising. The Arab world is in agreement and has shown complete understanding about who is responsible for ruining the lives of Palestinians and their prospects for a better future.

On Thursday, the Saudi Arabian newspaper Okaz issued an article with the statement: ”Hamas is the one leading Gaza into humanitarian disaster in that it takes over and confiscates humanitarian aid and threatens the lives of residents as it digs tunnels under schools and hospitals in order to take advantage of residents as human shields."

It is clear that the Arab world has recognized Hamas as responsible for the destruction of the Gaza Strip, eliminating any hope of a positive future for the Gazan people. Perhaps the time has come for the residents of the Gaza Strip to draw the same conclusion.

Terror groups in Gaza have used UNRWA facilities in the past.  A UN inquiry found  that Palestinian groups hid weapons in three UN-run schools in Gaza and  likely used UNRWA schools  to fire rockets at Israel during Operation Protective Edge.

For more information

UNWRA discovers Hamas Tunnel under Gaza schools

UNRWA uncovers Hamas-dug tunnel under school in Gaza

UNRWA school hides its "river to the sea" agenda ahead of UN visit

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon visited Gaza, and gave a talk an a UNRWA school

In preparation for his visit, officials at the school hid a large flag showing a map of "historic Palestine" - in actuality a map of modern day Israel.

Palestinians were upset by this,and took to social media to complain

This is yet another example of how UNRWA has become obstacle for peace. Rather than promoting peace with Israel, UNRWA promotes a world without Israel.

British parliament to investigate UNRWA abuses.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)exists to perpetuate the Palestinian refugee problem, not to solve it.

Speaking at UC Berkeley, on Nov. 4, 2013 Filippo Grandi, Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency admitted the role of his agency in perpetuating the plight of Palestinian refugees, describing the "core job" of UNRWA as  keeping the Palestinians "registered".

UNRWA  bestowed refugee status on the 3rd and 4th generation, on the grandchildren and great granchildren deeming them “refugees,” As a result, the Palestinian refugee population has grown from 750,000 in 1950 to 5 million today. The Palestinians are the only people in the world today who can inherit refugee status

UNRWA defines a refugee, not as someone with indigeneous staus, but rather,  as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”  Yes, you read it  right.  Living in pre-state Israel just  for two years or longer qualifies  Palestinians and their descendents with millions in goods and services, and has, for generations.

Their services are available to all those living in its area of operations who meet this definition, who are registered with the Agency and who need assistance. The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration.

The total UNRWA budget for 2012 was $907,907,371.  The system is ripe for abuse.


According to the J Post The British parliament has formed a committee of inquiry to probe the flow of funds used by the international refugee agency UNRWA

According to the report, the British government contributes 90 million pounds annually in aid to the Palestinians. A third of that sum is earmarked for UNRWA – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.

The parliamentary committee was formed in response to heavy lobbying by pro-Israel organizations and with the encouragement of former Israeli Labor MK Einat Wilf. The committee is due to submit its recommendations to parliament soon.

"UNRWA is perpetuating the notion that the descendants of refugees are themselves refugees, and it is based on this principle that the Palestinians are demanding the right of return, something that will not happen in any future agreement," Wilf said.

"The main point is that UNRWA is entirely supported by Western countries whose official policy is to aim for a two-state solution," Wilf said. "This is completely in contradiction to the idea of a right of return for 5 million refugees and their descendants to Israel."

 Time for our Congress to recognize that reality, as well.

UNRWA: You can't run from the truth

On August 16, 2013, the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority signed a new $148 million economic aid agreement.  

This aid is only a fraction of what the Palestinians receive from the world community.  Per capita, the Palestinian receive more aid than any other people in the world. Much of this money is channeled through UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

The Palestinians receive more aid per capita than any other group worldwide. Chart from Elder of Ziyon

UNRWA was established in 1949 as temporary organization yet has survived for 64 years by extending its services to the descendants of the original beneficiaries.   According to UNRWA, a Palestinian refugee is  someone whose residency  was in Palestine from June 1, 1946 to May 15, 1948, and who lost both their homes and their livelihoods in the war against Israel.  They make  no pretext of Palestinians being "indigenous"   There is simply a requirement of residency in pre-state Israel for two years.  UNRWA is unique because  its sole  responsibility is to one group of refugees. Throughout the world, other refugees fall under the jurisdiction of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

UNRWA's  2012 budget was $907,907,371., with the US, EU, UK, Sweden, Norway, Germany, The Netherlands and Japan paying 71 percent of the total.

Humanitarian aid, worldwide

 What does our tax money go to?

Watch this shot clip of UNRWA sponsored Camp Jihad.  Do you still believe this conflict is about "the occupation"?

From the film:

“Our parents were on the beach,” a teacher in Balata tells the young campers sitting around her during story time. “They sailed ships, they would travel, they had cars, palaces, and villas… Every night they would tell stories.”

She then asks the children if Palestinians still have the sea, and if they want to go to the sea in Jaffa, Haifa, and Acre. Notwithstanding her passion for teaching about local geography, she asks the children if they would like to return to the sea in the land-locked city of Nazareth.

Her story soon takes a chilling turn. The Palestinians were having a nice barbecue on the beach when a wolf appeared, she recounts. “Who is the wolf?” the teacher asks. “The Jews! Isn’t it true that the Jews are the wolf?”“Who expelled us?” she asks the kids, who listen with rapt attention. “The Jews!” they yell energetically.

“I will defeat the Jews,” a camper named Tayma tells the documentary crew. “They are a gang of infidels and Christians. They don’t like Allah and do not worship Allah. And they hate us.”

One young campers sums up, “The summer camp teaches us that we have to liberate Palestine.”

On October 5 there will be a San Francisco  fundraiser hosted by American Friends of UNRWA for this already bloated organization, ostensibly to fund programs for children.  A 5-K run around Lake Merced is scheduled, in "solidarity with Gaza".  To those participating. You can't run from the truth. UNRWA is an obstacle to peace, perpetuating generations of refugees and indoctrinating children with messages of intolerance and hate.  Is this an organization that deserves your support?

The Truth About the Refugees: Israel Palestinian Conflict

Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon's latest youtube highlights the issue of the Jewish refugees, forced out of their homes in the Arab world and contrasts them with the Arab refugees perpetuated by UNRWA and the Arab nations.



In 1948, an estimated 500,000 Arabs left their homes in Israel- of those, 160,000 returned and resettled after agreeing to live in peace with their Jewish neighbors. These Arabs, and their descendants make up the 1,300,000 Israeli Arabs who are full citizens of Israel today.

The others? Their number has grown to nearly 5 million today as they languish in refugee camps throughout the Arab world, used as pawns in the perpetual war against Israel.

Incidently, Minister Ayalon, a descendent of Jewish refugees from Algeria gave a talk at the UN High commission for Refugees Ministerial Meeting in Geneva yesterday, saying:

"The State of Israel is a country that was established as a shelter for Jewish refugees from all over the world, including, survivors of the Holocaust and those forced from their homes in North Africa and the Middle East. Our society is a mosaic of people from around 100 countries who returned to their ancestral homeland escaping the horrors of persecutions and violence.

As a result of our experience, Israel was one of the initiators of the Refugees Convention and one of the first countries to join it. Israel is committed to all its articles.

In addition, we support the application of the general principles governing the treatment of refugees worldwide to apply universally, without exception, including those in the Palestinian context. While the UNHCR has found durable solutions for tens of millions of refugees, the agency created specifically for the Palestinian context has found durable solutions for no one."

More Photos from the hell that is Gaza

From the UNRWA website

Gaza’s children entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the third year straight today, as they broke the record for the world’s biggest parachute game.

"Schoolchildren from across the Gaza Strip gathered at Khan Younis stadium late this afternoon for the first of four world records they will attempt to break in Gaza this summer.

The attempt, comprising 3,520 children playing with 176 parachutes, more than doubled the record set by pupils at Plymstock School in Plymouth, England on 4 April 2006, when 1,547 children played with 58 parachutes.

International witnesses were on hand to count, including two judges in charge of signing the official statement on behalf of Guinness."

Yes. There is a stadium in the worlds largest concentration camp. Yes, the well nourished happy children were playing games. And yes, the Guinness Book of World records folks somehow found their way to Gaza without the use of a provocative, illegal flotilla